Characterization of synergy between Cucumber mosaic virus and Alternaria alternata in Nicotiana tabacum

Publication date: Available online 5 September 2019Source: Physiological and Molecular Plant PathologyAuthor(s): Zhong-Qin Tang, Jing Shang, Lei Zhang, Jun-Bo Du, Hui Yang, Shu-Hua Zeng, Pei-Li Li, George Bawa, Liang Yu, Xin-Xin Hou, Wen-Yu YangAbstractCo-infections in plants regularly occur in natural ecosystems. In the present study, we simulated co-infection in Nicotiana tabacum (N. tabacum) with Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and Alternaria alternata (A. alternata) under laboratory conditions. In the co-infection system of CMV and A. alternata, severe oxidative stress was produced. High concentrations of reactive oxygen species accumulated in Nicotiana tabacum. Antioxidant enzymes were highly activated to resist damage to the body. Photosynthetic parameters and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters showed that the decline of photosynthetic rate (Pn) in co-infection was lower than in single infection. At the same time, the heat dissipation increased. The accumulation of A. alternata and CMV were significantly higher in co-infected plants than single infected plants. Pathogens accumulation was also affected by the inoculation sequence. The expression of salicylic acid (SA)-mediated genes was significantly up-regulated. These results indicated that SA played a key role in the synergistic infection of N. tabacum against CMV and A. alternata.
Source: Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology - Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research